Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told the Financial Times on April 28 that negotiations were continuing with the US energy giant Exxon Mobil for 2.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) worth 1.1 billion dollars. The Minister was talking about Türkiye’s need to diversify its resources to avoid being dependent on “a single supplier”;
The March 31 local elections in Türkiye marked the most severe defeat for the incumbent AKP in its 20-year reign. This voter backlash was a belated response to a decade of policy missteps that severely disrupted economic stability, especially after September 2021. In the run-up to the general elections in May 2023, the government opened
Public pressure has compelled President Tayyip Erdoğan’s cabinet to take action on another front. The Ministry of Trade announced on April 9 that it would impose trade restrictions on Israel covering 54 product categories. The trade embargo, to be enforced by Ministry of Trade Ömer Bolat, will take effect from April 9 and will remain
The disarray following the CHP’s electoral victory is not only evident in previously AK Party-held municipalities but also within the AKP headquarters and local branches, portraying a sobering sight. The last-minute traders or those attempting to shred documents, the significant effort by Mehmet Uçum, one of the President’s Advisors, to hinder the complete dismantling of
Following an election defeat in 31 March local elections, opposition İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener declared that she would not run for the party leadership at the congress scheduled for April 27 with a surprise announcement on April 8. In her announcement titled “to the Great Turkish Nation…” via the “X” account, Akşener stated, “I
On March 31, Türkiye will once again exercise its democratic right to vote in local government elections. Yet, this election transcends mere local political dynamics; it stands as a pivotal moment shaping the trajectory of Turkish politics at large. In the wake of the May 23 general elections, Türkiye’s political landscape is undergoing significant shifts,
Since the bloody attack on the concert hall in Moscow, I have been speaking with sources from the intelligence, security, and diplomatic circles. The point they all converge on is that the March 22 attack of the ISIS Khorasan province branch, (ISIS-K) which killed 139 people in Moscow, differs from known ISIS actions in terms
We were chatting with an American diplomat, who held high positions in the US State Department while on duty, during the coffee break of an important meeting in Marrakesh. Stating that in the critical period we are in, the USA has been acting as if it has discarded Türkiye. In contrast, new dynamics have emerged
The Turkish Central Bank’s (CBRT) Monetary Policy Committee (PPK) increased the policy rate by 500 base points from 45 percent to 50 percent at its March 21 meeting. In the statement made by the PPK, which convened under the chairmanship of Central Bank Governor Fatih Karahan, it was stated that it was decided to increase
Ever since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched the election campaign with the motto “reconquering Istanbul,” it has been clear that the real competition in the upcoming March 31 local elections will be for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Now, with almost a week left until the election, this race is neck and neck. It is